Re: Slightly OT: SQL Server conference vs. Oracle conferences...

Being Sheriff is an important part of being a *true* DBA, that's for sure...
To steal a line I used to hear from Dan Fink, "Time to put on my black hat..."  
I believe he was talkin' 10 gallon at least! :)


Kellyn Pedersen
Multi-Platform DBA
I-Behavior Inc.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kellynpedersen
 
"Go away before I replace you with a very small and efficient shell script..."

--- On Wed, 11/4/09, Robert Freeman <robertgfreeman@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:


From: Robert Freeman <robertgfreeman@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Slightly OT: SQL Server conference vs. Oracle conferences...
To: "Kellyn Pedersen" <kjped1313@xxxxxxxxx>, "oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" 
<oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 6:22 PM





Some very good points Kellyn. I've talked to several people at this conference 
that have the same experience with SQL Server that we do.... It got released 
into the wild because IT was not agile enough to meet the needs of the customer 
or because it was "just" an off the shelf application.... Not just one got 
released into the wild but a whole bunch did... proliferation of what really 
were enterprise databases, managed and designed by someone who was not a DBA 
and in (some) cases actually had some disdain for the value of a DBA/modeler. 

Then, someone with some experience comes in and sees the mess that's been 
created, or some disaster occurs or both.... and the DBA realm has to come in, 
play sheriff and get these things in-line.

I see real value in multi-platfor/db experience and I see a real opportunity 
for Sheriff's in the future as these rough-shod/Windows ridin'/hibernate 
toatin' rascals of the west find that they have done themselves and their 
Enterprise a big disservice long term. Maybe I need to put out my Shingle, 
Robert Freeman, OCP/ACE and SQL Server Sheriff....

 Robert G. Freeman
Oracle ACE
Ask me about on-site Oracle Training! RMAN, DBA, Tuning, you name it!
Author:
Oracle Database 11g RMAN Backup and Recovery (Oracle Press) - ON IT'S WAY SOON!
OCP: Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certified Professional Study Guide 
(Sybex)
Oracle Database 11g New Features (Oracle Press)
Oracle Database 10g New Features (Oracle Press)
Other various titles
Blog: http://robertgfreeman.blogspot.com






From: Kellyn Pedersen <kjped1313@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; robertgfreeman@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, November 4, 2009 4:31:52 PM
Subject: Re: Slightly OT: SQL Server conference vs. Oracle conferences...






OK, I'm going to pipe in on this one and hopefully will be seen as shedding 
light and not as a DBA who likes to play on the darkside.  :D 
 
I have multi-platform DBA in my title for a reason-  I like databases, I've 
never been a strong developer, (although I will code if starvation is the only 
other option...:)), but I have just as many years in SQL Server as I do in 
Oracle, both hitting two digits this last year.  I also find many positives in 
MySQL, Informix, Sybase, Postgres and DB2 and have managed systems in each.  
When I first started, my ADHD was more than happy to take on any platform they 
threw at me and excelled.  I was informed that I was going to kill my career if 
I didn't specialize in a database platform and the first couple of years, I 
wondered if a few folks weren't right.
 
With the economy the way it is, I've been teased about how fast of a turn 
around I had after being laid off, (was without a permanent position for all of 
one week...) so I'm pretty happy I stuck to what was right for my career, (and 
ADHD... :))  I now manage Oracle, SQL Server and MySQL, letting my brain go 
from one challenge to the next, investigating the newest feature in each 
anytime I get a chance.
 
As for the lack of maturity at SQL Pass, I think you are probably right.  I 
don't know how often I've been hired as an Oracle DBA, only to have SQL Server 
brought to me on a silver platter or in a crushing blow when they realize how 
operations impacting the system was they built on it with the idea that "SQL 
Server is soooo easy to manage that the System Admin/Application Admin/User can 
support it just fine."  How many of those folks at SQL Pass are not *true* 
DBA's?  As many SQL Server events I've been to in the last 10 years, I'd guess 
close to 80%.  How many of those have DBA in their title and are actually 
developers or Sys Admins?  Trust me, we are getting to less than 10% are actual 
DBA's...
 
Can SQL Server work without a DBA?  For an enterprise level system, about two 
years till it comes crashing down around their ears.  I then have to be a DBA-  
just like I have to be for an Oracle database and take care of what needs to be 
cared for.  Set up the backups, verify recovery, set up monitoring, 
notifications, error handling, performance tuning, etc., etc...
 
I don't know how many SQL Server "DBA's" I've interviewed and had to break it 
to them- "Nope, you aren't a DBA, you are a System Admin/Application Admin/User 
with some skills-  thanks for coming in though!"

I'm going through the same thing at my new job.  They have a very vital system 
that was easy to set up and install on SQL Server, but no SQL Server skill set 
on staff.  No backups, no recovery verification, no alert checking or 
notification of failures and no patching which is a real no-no in SQL Server.  
The management is always shocked when they become aware how vulnerable the 
system is without a "real DBA" on staff...
 
 
Kellyn Pedersen
Multi-Platform DBA
I-Behavior Inc.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kellynpedersen
 
"Go away before I replace you with a very small and efficient shell script..."

--- On Wed, 11/4/09, Robert Freeman <robertgfreeman@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:


From: Robert Freeman <robertgfreeman@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Slightly OT: SQL Server conference vs. Oracle conferences...
To: "oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 9:27 AM


I'm in Seattle this week attending SQL Pass (anyone else in Oracle-L here?). 
I'd liken SQL Pass, somewhat, to Collaborate though it is very database 
specific. I'd say there are maybe 1500 to 2000 attending here (I've seen no 
numbers, this is only a guess). Yes, I'm a man who is visiting a foreign 
country. I wear my Oracle shirt proudly and got a few interesting looks in the 
process yesterday.

One thing I've noticed (thus far) is the maturity at this conference (and 
fairly I've been one day only so far) is NOTHING like those at the bigger 
Oracle conferences such as Collaborate, RMOUG or HOTSOS. The level and depth of 
the speaking at the Oracle conferences is much better than what I've seen here. 
I've yet to see a presentation that wows me as I have from the likes of Tom 
Kyte, Tim Gorman, Cary Millsap and the like. There is a level of maturity that 
is missing here I think, both in presentations, style and content. Anyway, I 
fully recognize that my Oracle bigotry might be showing, but I'm not all that 
impressed. Let's see how I feel at the end of the week.

Just thought I'd share.

Cheers!

RF

Robert G. Freeman
Oracle ACE
Ask me about on-site Oracle Training! RMAN, DBA, Tuning, you name it!
Author:
Oracle Database 11g RMAN Backup and Recovery (Oracle Press) - ON IT'S WAY SOON!
OCP: Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certified Professional Study Guide 
(Sybex)
Oracle Database 11g New Features (Oracle Press)
Oracle Database 10g New Features (Oracle Press)
Other various titles
Blog: http://robertgfreeman.blogspot.com/
--
http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l

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